The ANSA McAL Group has placed a bid for the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Medal which was put to sale on the e-commerce website, eBay.

The country’s highest award was posthumously awarded to union leader Adrian Cola Rienzi. The 18-carat gold medal, packaged with the original award document, is signed by the former President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, His Excellency, George Maxwell Richards and stamped with the Presidential seal.

ANSA McAL has decided to place the bid of US$25,000 to ensure that this historic piece of Trinidad and Tobago, is duly returned to our nation in preservation of its bestowed honour and dignity.

Chairman of ANSA McAL, A. Norman Sabga, LLD (Hon.) UWI, made the following announcement today:

“Our Chairman Emeritus of ANSA McAL, Dr. Anthony N. Sabga, ORTT, was himself a proud recipient of the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT) medal in 2011, so we understand the significance and patriotic pride to have such an honour bestowed upon any citizen.

It is our sincere hope that ANSA McAL secures the prized bid for the medal to secure its rightful return to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

It is our intention to respectfully seek the support of the Office of the President of Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate our donation of the ORTT medal to the National Museum.

We are cognizant of the national patrimonial value of the medal and what this means to the citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It will be a shame and dishonor to the country’s highest award and to the legacy of its awardee Adrian Cola Rienzi if the honour inherent in the ORTT medal, is not returned to our beloved country”.

Adrian Cola Rienzi (born Krishna Deonarine in 1905) founded both the Oilfields Workers Trade Union and the All Trinidad Sugar Estates and Factory Workers Union, and was involved in the establishment of three other trade unions. He was also the first president of the Trinidad and Tobago Trades Union Council, from its foundation in 1938 until 1944.